Here we are, November of the longest year ever. Much like everyone else, I have been riding waves of anxiety, fear, happiness, hope and gratefulness. Yesterday was one of those bad days where the weight of the world felt like it was crushing me. One of those days where you eat pizza in bed and just have a good cry. I wear my heart on my sleeve and worry so much about my family, my business and my friends.
Out of the blue I got a facebook message from a client who I hadn't seen in a while. She is a nurse on the front lines putting her life at risk daily. She has a young family and should be worrying about her. Nope...she was reaching out to support local businesses and wanted to book a shoot for next year and pay in advance. Cue waterworks. How is this hero thinking about other people right now???
Now, more than ever we need to support our friends, neighbors, and front line workers. So, I want to pay her random act of kindness forward. If you or someone you know is a health care worker I would like you to nominate yourself/them for a free photo shoot. Simply email me sunny@sunnys-hphotography.com (with the hyphen) with persons info/where they work and why you think the session should be awarded to them/yourself. I am not sure how many I will choose but this is open to a newborn swaddled session, baby milestone of family shoot outdoors spring/summer 2021. Sorry not doing family shoots in the studio this winter for safety reasons (working with wee ones).
Thank you to all of our health care workers. Sincerely.
Sunny
8 Comments
Nov 13, 2020, 10:47:46 AM
Sunny Szpak-Holly - Can you please email or DM me directly so I can get more info on Brooke.
Nov 8, 2020, 9:53:42 PM
Marie - Tasha is an avid amateur landscape photographer who spreads utter joy to whoever she interacts with. She works in the ICU at St. Boniface Hospital and often picks up extra shifts both there and in Churchill!! She is incredibly passionate and phenomenally selfless despite living with a chronic illness (which I’m not sure if I’m allowed to share or not) that she NEVER let’s hold her back. She’s an inspiration for humanity. Her Instagram handle is @tashaesau
Nov 8, 2020, 4:03:21 PM
Val - Sorry forgot to add, Amanda floats around all the Winnipeg hospitals, and Stephan works for the city as an advance care paramedic
Nov 8, 2020, 4:01:08 PM
Val - I nominate friends Amanda Eyjolfson, and her husband Stephan Carrigan. Amanda an Anesthesiologist (ya she knocks you out but keeps you alive so you can get your covid breathing tube put in). Her husband Stephan is a paramedic. They juggle long work hours, encounter dangerous patients, and every single day they risk bringing covid home to their 2 young sons. I’m not good about writing these nomination stories, not to mention the 5 kids hanging off of me currently. But those are my Health Hero’s. Cheers
Nov 8, 2020, 8:46:24 AM
Ashley Vendramelli - As much as I would love to nominate myself, I would never. However, I would like to nominate my friend and coworker Courtney Wuskynyk. Courtney was one of my mentors when I was a new grad and through that we became friends. She is a single mom and works 3 different nursing jobs to provide for her family. She is a nursing educator for both St. Boniface and RRC, as well as working casual (but more often than not) on one of our busiest Children’s medical Units CH5. She is an inspiration and rarely takes the time to celebrate herself. Should you choose her I will pass on her contact information!
Nov 6, 2020, 1:41:19 AM
Mark Sobrevinas - I would like to nominate my wife Maureen, she works at St. Boniface general hospital and works with very sick patients awaiting covid test result. With covid numbers rising, stress levels are rising as well Both my wife and I work in health care, thankfully at the PCH I work in has been very diligent with taking covid measures very seriously. This photo shoot would definitely bring the stress level down☺️ thank you for your consideration. With care, Mark, Maureen and Hailey ♥️
Nov 5, 2020, 10:26:56 PM
Codi - I would love to nominate my sister Brooke Semchuk. She works in the cardiac ICU at St. Boniface hospital and is always going above and beyond for her patients! She’s working her butt of and picking up shifts like crazy to help out her unit whenever she can! All while she is pregnant! She inspires me everyday and I truly believes she deserves a photo shoot when her little nugget arrives. Thanks! Codi
Nov 5, 2020, 10:07:59 AM
Sara Vendramelli - Hi Sunny! You know my family all to well from photographing my wedding to my family’s milestones. I’d like to nominate my sister in law Ashley - she is a paediatric nurse at children’s hospital and also doing extra work giving flu shots at the access centre this year. Our family is full of front line workers with my brother working hard at Sobeys, myself being an OT at deer lodge centre and sister a middle school teacher. My sister and I are on mat leave now - recently started and I think about how it would be still working at a time like this. Although it’s so isolating and frustrating to not do all the “fun things” I planned to do on mat leave like travel and take baby classes, I am so thankful to be home with my little one. With all this chaos it would be a fantastic way to celebrate in the future by doing another outdoor family photo shoot with you and all the crazy Vendramelli’s plus the addition of two new little girls. Owen and Avery are the best cousins and Auntie Ashley has been the baby whisperer. We are so proud to have her in our family and for all her efforts on the front lines! Thanks again for your consideration and it’s truly so kind of you to even offer something like this. The world needs more people like you in it. All the best! Sara Vendramelli